Arrested Justice : Black Women, Violence, and America’s Prison Nation. PDF
Preview Arrested Justice : Black Women, Violence, and America’s Prison Nation.
Arrested Justice This page intentionally left blank Arrested Justice Black Women, Violence, and America’s Prison Nation Beth E. Richie a NEW YORK UNIVERSITY PRESS New York and London NEW YORK UNIVERSITY PRESS New York and London www.nyupress.org © 2012 by New York University All rights reserved References to Internet websites (URLs) were accurate at the time of writing. Neither the author nor New York University Press is responsible for URLs that may have expired or changed since the manuscript was prepared. Richie, Beth. Arrested justice : black women, violence, and America’s prison nation / Beth E. Richie. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-8147-7622-3 (cl : alk. paper) -- ISBN 978-0-8147-7623-0 (pb : alk. paper) -- ISBN 978-0-8147-2391-3 (ebook) -- ISBN 978-0-8147-0822-4 (ebook) 1. African American women--Abuse of. 2. African American women--Violence against. 3. African American women--Crimes against. 4. African American women--Social conditions. 5. Abused women--United States. 6. Victims of crime--United States. 7. Violence--United States. 8. Crime--Sociological aspects. I. Title. HV6626.2.R57 2012 362.82’9208996073--dc23 2011050459 New York University Press books are printed on acid-free paper, and their binding materials are chosen for strength and durability. We strive to use environmentally responsible suppliers and materials to the greatest extent possible in publishing our books. Manufactured in the United States of America c 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 p 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 For my daughter, Ella, and my late mother, Beatrice. They are my two beloved muses whose spirits open my heart every day. This page intentionally left blank Contents Acknowledgments ix 1 Introduction 1 2 The Problem of Male Violence 23 against Black Women 3 How We Won the Mainstream but 65 Lost the Movement 4 Black Women, Male Violence, and 99 the Buildup of a Prison Nation 5 The Matrix: A Black Feminist Response 125 to Male Violence and the State 6 Conclusion 157 Notes 167 Bibliography 179 Index 219 About the Author 229 [ vii ] This page intentionally left blank Acknowledgments I realize that almost everyone who ever finishes a book begins to think about the acknowledgements midway through the writing when they realize how long they have been at it, and how much longer it will take to finish. It either occurs to writers then or when they are challenged by long periods of distraction and start to worry that they will never be able to turn their attention back to writing. For me, it was midway through the writing when life circumstances distracted me and I realized that the only way that I could ever finish this book was to accept the gener- ous support I was being offered, and to lean as graciously as possible on others for inspiration. Thankfully, I was given permission to step aside from the demands of daily life; I had the privilege of personal and institu- tional support; I was able to open myself to the profound twin muses of joy and heartbreak; and I just kept writing. I finished this book because of the generosity of others—the communities who inspired me politi- cally, the friends and family who forgave my absences, those activist allies who lovingly challenged me to finish this project. Ultimately I did finish because of the urgent, courageous stories of Black women trying to sur- vive violence within a prison nation, each of whom demanded that I get this book done. There are a lot of people to acknowledge, and I am very grateful to each of them. Early in the writing of this book, one of my greatest muses, Ella Car- men Cohen-Richie, was born and came home to help raise my partner, [ ix ]
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